1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of performing money transfer receive transactions.
2. Background Art
A money transfer transaction performed with a financial services institution may include a money transfer send transaction, or send transaction, and a money transfer receive transaction, or receive transaction. Under a send transaction, a sender sends or “wires” money to a recipient through the financial services institution. Under a receive transaction, the recipient receives money through the financial services institution. Many such transactions are also facilitated by businesses, organizations or other entities that act as agents of the financial services institution.
Various methods are known for performing send transactions. One known method, for example, involves a sender completing a transaction form and providing the form to an agent. The transaction form includes such information as the desired amount of money to be sent, sender information, and recipient information. The agent then enters the information from the transaction form into a computer, such as a point of sale terminal, that is in communication with a central data base or host computer of the financial services institution. Alternatively, the agent may communicate the information to a representative of the financial services institution, and the representative may provide additional information to the agent that is added to the transaction form. Next, the agent collects from the sender the desired amount of money to be sent plus any applicable fees and/or taxes.
Another method of performing a send transaction involves providing a telephone at an agent location with which a sender can access an operator of a financial services institution. The sender then provides information to the operator, such as recipient name, sender name, desired amount of money to be sent, and agent location. Next, the operator transmits a transaction form, which includes the information provided by the sender, to an agent at the agent location via a facsimile transmittal machine. The sender then signs the transaction form. Next, the agent collects from the sender the desired amount of money to be sent plus any applicable fees and/or taxes. The agent then signs the transaction form and transmits the form back to the operator. Next, the operator enters the information from the transaction form into a central data base of the financial services institution.
Still another method of performing a send transaction includes providing a sender an access card that is used to access a central data base of a financial services institution. The sender provides the access card to an agent, and the agent enters the access card into the terminal so as to retrieve from the data base a list of potential recipient names previously identified by the sender. After the list has been retrieved, the sender selects a desired recipient from the list, and provides a desired amount of money to be sent to the selected recipient. Next, the agent collects from the sender the desired amount of money to be sent plus any applicable fees and/or taxes.
A prior method of performing a receive transaction involves a sender providing a recipient a money transfer control number (MTCN), which represents a unique key to transaction information or data stored in the data base. The recipient may then enter the MTCN on a form, which is provided to an agent by the recipient. Next, the agent accesses the data base using a terminal, and obtains a receive amount that corresponds to the MTCN. Alternatively, the agent may obtain the receive amount, or other information related to the receive transaction, by entering the recipient's name, sender's name, or sender's telephone number into the terminal.
The agent may then print a check for the receive amount. Next, the check is provided to the recipient. The recipient then endorses the check and receives cash from the agent. The agent may then use the signed check to obtain reimbursement from the financial services institution.
If the receive amount exceeds the agent's payout limit, which is the amount the agent is authorized or willing to pay out in cash to the recipient, then the agent may issue multiple checks, such as one check for an amount up to the payout limit, and one or more additional checks for the remainder of the receive amount. The additional check or checks must then be taken elsewhere for encashment.
Because this method of performing a receive transaction requires the agent to have significant cash on hand, this method is not practical for agents that typically do not have significant cash available. As a result, the number of agent locations available to a recipient is limited.